IT'S still early days, but after four years of persistent injury problems Steffan White can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

National cross-country champion in 1997, the 28-year-old Coventry Godiva Harrier has been unable to string together a full season since then after a succession of setbacks - culminating in a hernia operation last Christmas.

But after breaking 14 minutes for the first time for 5,000 metres in only his fourth track race of the year at last weekend's Norwich Union World Trials and AAA Championships in Birmingham, White is finally able to look ahead with justified cause for optimism.

"It was a good result given the amount of training I've done which has been pretty limited," said White who, only losing contact with the medallists over the final lap, finished a highly creditable seventh in 13-56.56.

"I only started jogging again in March and I've still not done a great deal of real work - the most I've done is 50 miles a week.

"I ran to my fitness level and the rest played along with me a bit by not going off any faster.

"It would be nice to step on the line and feel on a par with everyone else in the race.

"But only four weeks ago I was running round in the Midlands 1,500 metres at the same pace I did the 5,000 in on Sunday.

"I'm feeling much better now as I get more running in, and I feel healthy. I just need 12 months on my feet without injury - that's something I've not had for four years."

White will be staying on the track for another six weeks, racing over 1,500 and 3,000 metres to improve his sharpness before looking for a quality 5,000 metres - a distance at which he admits he is still a relative novice - with a view to attacking the England qualifying standard of 13-40 for next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Then it will be back to cross-country for a winter campaign where he hopes to challenge for his old title and match strides with training partner Glynn Tromans, the current UK champion.